Pipevine (Aristolochia macrophylla)
Pipevine is also known as Dutchman's Pipe and Black Sarsaparilla.

Plant Type:
This is a vine, it is a perennial.
Leaves: The leaves are alternate. Leaves can reach 25cm in length (10inches). Each heart
shaped leaf is entire.Flowers: The flowers have 3 Regular Parts and are up to 3cm wide (1.2
inches). They are greenish to purpleish sometimes yellowish. Blooms first appear in mid spring and continue into late
spring. The flower is shaped rather like a Calabash pipe. There is a claspingbract on the peduncle.Habitat: Rich moist woods
especially the mountains.Range: Mountainious region of the eastern United States into Canada and
west to Michigan.
Color PhotoMore InfoClassification

Ads on this page help pay for this site but if you see one that seems
inappropriate here such as one that is counter to the pro environmental theme please let me know which Ad and I will block
it. Report a Bad Ad

Daniel Reed

Macrophylla means "large leaf". There are several species known
collectively as Dutchman's Pipe. Some are high climbing woody vines, others like Virginia Snakeroot (A. Serpentaria)
are herbacious plants. All are characterized by a pipe like flower. The odd flowers of Aristolochia vines attract then trap
small flies or midges. The next day the flower stops producing the scent that attracted the flies and releases pollen on the
captives. Only then does the flower reopen and release the flies to carry the pollen to another flower.

Medical
Uses: Pipevine is considered to have similar though weaker effects than Virginia Snakeroot (A. Serpentaria).
The root is used, in very small doses, as a tea or chewed for digestive disorders, fevers, to promote sweating,
treat suppressed menses and increase appetite.(Foster & Duke) The Cherokee used a decoction of the root externally for swelling of the feet and
legs and a tea from the stalks was taken for "yellowish urine".(Hamel/Chiltoskey)A.
Macrophylla contains aristolochic acid which is antiseptic and antitumor. Warning: Some sources consider this
plant toxic and carcinogenic.

Similar Species: Another species know as Pipevine AKA Woolly Dutchman's Pipe (A. Tomentosa) is a
vine with downy branches found at lower elevations from Florida to North Carolina west as far as Texas and Kansas and
north in very scattered locations as far as Wisconsin and Vermont. Marsh's Dutchman's Pipe (A. pentandra) is a
vine with nearly straight flowers that grows in the hammocks and keys or south Florida. Virginia Snakeroot (A.
serpentaria) is a herbacious plant that can reach 60cm (2') in height. A. convolvulacea is similar to Virginia
Snakeroot differing mainly in being hairy.

Several other species are recognized and some may be found in our
area.

The flowers often have purple flaring lobes and a yellow throat. Inset photograph by Paul Rebmann.

Ads on this page help pay for this site but if you see one that
seems inappropriate here such as one that is counter to the pro environmental theme please let me know which Ad and I
will block it.
Report a Bad Ad

One of the best general guides to wildflowers of the North Eastern and North Central United States. Newcomb's key
is an excellent, simple method for identifying plants. Newcomb has drawings for almost every plant mentioned that
are excellent aids to identifying the species. Though only the more common plants are covered this is often the first
book I pick up when trying to identify a wildflower.
Wildflo
wers of Tennessee the Ohio Valley and the Southern Appalachians
By: Dennis Horn and Tavia Cathcart and Thomas E. Hemmerly and David Duhl. , ISBN:1551054280

This is perhaps the best of many field guides covering this region. Featuring 446 excellent color photographs (located
with the text) and mentioning as similar to those illustrated are another 800 or so species for a total coverage of over
1,200 species. The start of each family section includes line drawings of some of the species showing important
features. The text includes the usual description, bloom season, range, habitat and additionally includes information
such as medical uses and lore and how the species was named. This is the official field guide of the Tennessee
Native Plant Society.